New Stuff for Change Agents: Sarah Fraser

This blog has been merged with Spread Good Practice Blog

2010-09-29T07:56:00.000-07:00

From 1st October 2010 this blog has been merged with Sarah Fraser's Spread Good Practice blog which will be expanded to include a variety of resources for change agents beyond only that which covers spread and large scale change.

Thanks for finding this and please go to the other blog to find the latest information.

Popplet; easy way to share graphic data

2010-09-21T23:23:00.000-07:00

Popplet is a way to take notes in a mindmap form, scribble on the screen, add a map and a few notes - anything really. There is a separate version for the iPad.

It is currently in Beta so you have to request an access code. Mine turned up within a day. Creating your graphic is an entirely intuitive process. I suspect it will be more useful when tablets are used more, however, it works well with a keyboard. It is much easier to use than trying to sketch something on PowerPoint and then emailing round the file. To share your notes just click on collaborate and you get a weblink.

How to record a phone call

2010-09-05T23:34:00.000-07:00

Worried about that phone call with a staff member or client? Need to record your audio training session so it can be replayed at a later date? The reasons for wanting to record a phone call are various. The ways to carry out the recording are equally various.

One simple way for UK residents is to use Record Your Call. After registering on the site, to record a call you dial an 0871 number then enter the number of the person you want to speak to. To replay the call you dial another 0871 number. You can sign up for an incoming 0871 number which can record all calls.

The disadvantage is the cost of the 0871 number which is a premium line (approx 10p/min from a land line, mobiles will be higher). However, for that one off call this methods is quick, easy and requires no technical knowledge or equipment.

Lillilooloo.com Information and community for consultants

2010-08-31T02:37:00.000-07:00

Lilliloo is an interesting new website designed for consultants. It works as a community as well as a place to get downloads of resources and templates.

I'm not convinced about the name of the site but it is memorable!

Social networks for Lifelong Learners

2010-08-29T03:26:00.000-07:00

Social netwokring is more than Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

There are a number of excellent networking sites designed specifically for those interested in and developing communities with an educational feel. They come in all shapes and sizes.

Education writer Karen Schweitzer has written a guest post on Mission to Learn which includes reviews of over twenty different sites.

New LinkedIn Group for Facilitators

2010-08-08T00:39:00.000-07:00

If you're not yet on LinkedIn, then you may like to sign up. This is a professional networking site.

There is a new group on there for change facilitators that you may find interesting. It is called "Facilitating Change" - you can search for it when you are are on the site, or go to this link.

Convert scanned file to a text file

2010-07-01T23:56:00.000-07:00

Got a scanned report in image format and want to edit it? Then use this online conversion service to get it into text. Probably not something you need every day but when you need it you need it.

Simple, quick, no fuss.

Simple way to do Market Research

2010-06-04T13:33:00.000-07:00

This website offers anybody a ready chance to do market research and have it analysed, without having to incur into significant expenses. You can avoid having to spend an inordinate amount of time designing forms, collecting results and analyzing them to arrive at satisfactory conclusions.

In their own words, Requestio: "Flexible yet powerful, this web based survey software allows you to collect responses and data from your survey target audience. You can then run this data through our reporting modules to interpret the results of your online market research campaigns. With Requestio you can create, customize, deploy and promote your online market research campaigns in a few minutes."

It's all on the web, nothing to download and you can integrate with social media sites easily.

Staffguardian; keeping track if a distributed team

2010-03-09T05:25:00.000-08:00

At first I thought this was a bit too Big Brother'ish. Bu then I got to think how useful it would be to keep tabs on fellow team members who are travelling about. This website called Staffguardian provides the facility to show the location of everyone in the team. It is easy to use, though there is a small monthly fee.

How about community nurses using something like this to keep connected with each other. Or project managers who may be working across a variety of sites.

If I knew where people were, and their availability, I think I might more often have phonecalls and I might do less email.

Show your screen and comment

2010-03-06T06:41:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I am asked to review smeone's website or a page they are developing. Or I might have a problem using part of it. I end up sending emails with descriptions - all very long winded.

Owely has developed a very simple solution where you capture the screen, then use their functions to annotate the capture - like put an arrow and a comment on the picture. Then all you have to do is email your contact with a link and they then get to see your comments.

Easy. Productive.

carryouttext.com Converting text to audio

2010-02-09T11:45:00.000-08:00

I like this facility as I can use it to convert papers and the like into an MP3 file so I can listen to it while I travel, Good for shifting paperwork in a different way.

Try it out here

HTML to PDF Converter

2010-02-08T11:33:00.000-08:00

Ever saved a web page and then discovered on opening it later that it is a mess of code looking little like what you expected. This site provides an online converter of a webpage (just put in the page address) into a PDF. Best thing is there is no registration. I loved it.

pushtocustomers.com; have your own branded iPhone app

2010-02-08T11:12:00.000-08:00

Twitter and Facebook may be a good way to connect with customers. Even better is if you can have your own branded app for the iPhone and apps for other phones as well such as Android ones - in development. This would then help link your customer to your community much more efficiently and effectively. If you want to read more about how one company is offering to do this then check them out.

There is cost to have this done as well as an ongoing subscription. However, until the price of developing apps comes down this may be the most cost-effective option.

Publish any video content on any mobile device: Thirdpresence

2009-11-12T04:59:00.000-08:00

Obviously most videos we share are posted to the internet. However, sometimes it's good to be able to share videos that run on mobile phones. With mobile access becoming a major feature in our business and social lives it is becoming more important that our sharing is linked to mobile technology. The problem is there are all sorts of operating systems - iPhone, Android, Windows, Nokia symbian and so on.

Thirdpresence is a place where you can convert your video file into one which will work on almost any mobile phone. There is a fee for doing this though it starts from a very small amount.

I'm thinking this might become really useful in healthcare where we have instruction videos that staff need to be able to access on mobile tehnology.

Easy Gannt charts & project planning: Tomsplanner.com

2009-11-12T01:26:00.000-08:00

So I've found an excellent way to very quickly create a gantt chart without resorting to a clumsy Excel Spreadsheet version or getting lost in the mist of MS Project.

Tomsplanner is an online version which is free. It is also amazingly simple to use, flexible and produces Gantt charts of high quality. It took me 60 seconds to sign up (though I think you can have a go without signing up) and then another 60 seconds to start creating a chart. You can export the file to most programs or store online - nice feature. I liked the symbols you can use of various tasks.

It's in beta and is free to use.

Generating a barcode

2009-10-28T07:40:00.000-07:00

There are lots of places on the web where you can generate your own barcode free of charge

http://www.barcodesinc.com/generator/index.php Quick and easy, nothing fancy

http://www.barcoding.com/upc/ Choose your symbology and output format

http://www.idautomation.com/java/linearservlet.html for every option possible

I've been brainstorming ways to use unique personal a barcode (other than in retail)

1. When I go to the hospital I don't have to fill out forms - just swipe this

2. At conference registration and for entry to different sessions

3. To figure out who is eating what in the fridge (swipe and link to a database)

4. In case of emergency - it holds my name and a phone number

5. For entry / exit into clubs and cinemas

6. Entry / exit into festivals

7. Using up coupons, vouchers or cumulative things (swipe and count down)

8. On the machines down the gym, swipe and record my progress

Where I use a barcode now (though it is organisation specific rather than unique to me)

1. At the library

2. Supermarket loyalty schemes

3. Hospital forms (though I am still asked for information)

4. Drug matching in hospital

Screen Sharing; why we're using Glance

2009-10-20T01:50:00.001-07:00

The annual invoice arrived for paying for our screen-sharing services. In these times of economic hardship we've had to do some testing to check out value for money etc. There are many screen sharing and conferencing tools available that are free. So why are we not using them?

Well, I spent the better part of a morning testing out a number of the freebies.

YUUGUU, Crossloop, Gotomeeting and a few others.

a) All those I looked at required the person accessing the conference to download software. I don't mind downloading it onto my computer. However, most of the businesses we work with have strict controls that do not allow employees to download software. So that was the biggest limiting factor.

b) A couple of the trials ended up with all of us losing the plot. Either the file conflicted with Google Chrome or some other rather minor yet annoying thing that didn't go to plan. I feel that it only takes 1 small irritation to put someone off web conferencing and I would prefer not to put participants though any hassle whatsoever

c) Some tools have more facilities than Glance. For us, the cost of those facilities outweighs the experience. They take longer to load, longer to log on and then everyone needs some degree of acquaintance using them. Unrequired hassle.

So like a really good washing machine - I need only those programs I will use, it needs to do the job I ask for it, and needs to be so blindingly obvious in it use that if I have to refer to a manual then there is something wrong with the design.

So, we'll pay the invoice for Glance now...!

Sharing emails: Moomeo

2009-09-23T12:26:00.000-07:00

Well I am not entirely sure this is a good thing...

If you have an email or a series of emails and you want to share it/them then you can email it to post@moomeo.com. You then get a link which you then share (not by email - could have done that in the first place..). What this link enables you to do is to put the email onto social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook.

I can think of a number of ways this might be useful, especially if you don't have a blog or website you can easily update and then link back to. On the other hand, it could be a nightmare for corporate media and IT managers as emails find their way into a more viral social media system.

Trendmetr: find out frequency of search term in Twitter

2009-08-13T04:04:00.000-07:00

I love Trendmetr http://www.trendmetr.com for providing a minute by minute updates on keywords I choose. The frequency shows as bars and you can add as many (it seems) keywords as you like.

This is a real time view on what is being said on Twitter. Useful if you want to know how trends are happening, as they happen, rather than rely on the Twitter "Top Ten".

Convert files online to make icons

2009-08-09T14:48:00.000-07:00

If you are a web developer or just someone who wants to make some nice icons to use in your documents then creating these seems simple until you try. Reducing file sizes and creating the right type of file is sometimes difficult.

I've found an easy way which requires no software download and the process is really straightforward

http://www.converticon.com/ is a website dedicated to doing this - simply.

Real time chat translator; babelwith.me

2009-06-22T00:06:00.000-07:00

Think MSN across languages..

This systems which is in Alpha (very early stages of release) looks like an instant messaging system. I was unable to test it with many languages as I would then need people speaking those language to have an online conversation with me! However, it seems to manage the translation as you type.

I am thinking this application could be excellent for communication in health care settings where the patient / carer may not speak good English. Using a system like this would enable the health care professional to communicate with the patient, even while sitting face to face in a consultation. If anyone tests it out in this setting do let me know. Currently translators are used which often means appointments are delayed and this is also an expensive process. While this may not replace all of that, this system could go a long way to helping those who just need a bit of language help in the communication.

If you are so inclined (probably not for health care situations) you can share the conversation on Twitter or Facebook very easily using their tools.

Online charting using Chartle

2009-05-03T07:36:00.000-07:00

Chartle is a very simple way of creating and publishing and interactive online chart. Useful foro embedding into your website or blog.

Their sales pitch has a note about how many charts are available in printed publications and then how much less are available online. Something to think about I guess...

Turn process maps into online wizards: gStepOne

2009-04-26T22:20:00.000-07:00

If you have a set of procedures that you would like to take someone through, online, then this application by gStepone http://www.gStepOne.com helps you do this. You are taken through the steps of linking any online information, like documents, videos, photos, form etc in a way that takes someone step by step through the process. For example, this could be for ordering a product, doing an expense claim, booking a meeting.

I'm always on the lookout for innovative ways to change how we do business and especially ways that combine know-what with know-how. Imagine if clinical guidelines could be set up using a system like this, where individual patients could have their treatment customised. Of course this would need to be set up on proprietary systems rather than on the Internet. gStepOne - if you're listening there is a market for this.

In the meantime, for non-proprietary procedures and processes this tool can be very useful.

How to send your RSS feed directly to Twitter

2009-04-07T00:10:00.001-07:00

Twitter http://www.twitter.com/ is the place to be. It is where people turn to get up-to-date information, breaking news and generally hang out. Twitter search is gaining in strength and popularity http://search.twitter.com/ From Twitter, someone can't subscribe directly to your RSS feed from your website or blog. So how can you set this up so what you write on your blog automatically gets sent to your twitter account?

There are a number of "feed" products online that will do this for you.

I use Twitterfeed http://www.twitterfeed.com/. What I like about this is it is easy to use and I can set up multiple feeds. If you make a mistake or get stuck, the help features are good. I got muddled for a while on exactly where to find the address of the feed I wanted to send to Twitter. This helped me through the process. You can configure how often you want the updates to happen and how many updates at a time.

While Twitterfeed is probably the market leader, there are some new systems coming online all the time. Feednest http://www.feednest.com/ is one. Or you can try Pingvine http://www.pingvine.com/ or Tweetmyfeed http://www.tweetmyfeed.net

Google analytics helps me identify business strategies

2009-03-01T23:53:00.000-08:00

Watching how your own website is used can become a bit addictive. I'm interested not in how it is being used right now, or in historical information. Now I've been using it for some months it is clear to me that spotting the trends is important. For example, when the map overlay shows a flurry of interest from one country or city then I can expect to get a call from there, or it may be just the place I need to aim some marketing at. Similarly, finding out which pages are most accessed hints at what value people are placing on different parts of it.

Google Analytics takes only 10 minutes to set up. You do need to be the owner of the webiste (or ask your IT department to help). It is really not complicated http://www.google.com/analytics/

Do you know how your website is being used? Do you know how you would use the information to inform your strategy?

Create charts online, then share

2009-02-19T03:41:00.000-08:00

ChartTool offers you a number of types of charts, including meter and bubble which are not on the common "Excel" list of options. You can create your chart online using your own data and then share the results. A useful thing to do is to link these to your website - great if you are keeping track of your improvement efforts and want to find a way to share your results.

http://www.onlinecharttool.com/

Tracking computer use for personal productivity

2009-02-19T03:27:00.001-08:00

ManicTime have created a personal time management software application. Dead cool it measures what you are doing on your computer, with what software and over what time (including idle time..). You get all sorts of easy to read and useful graphs.

If you're wondering whether your time on your computer is valuable and if you want to find out what you actually do rather than what you think you do - then try this out http://www.manictime.com/

Using voting buttons in Outlook

2009-01-26T06:59:00.000-08:00

OK, so this probably doesn't count as "new stuff" though it is new to me and I've since found it useful.

Outlook has an option where you can send an email with the question in the title and then all the recipients have to do is answer the question by choosing one of the options you give them. They do not need to reply. You can also track the responses.

To set up and use the voting buttons, click on the Options tab which is part of the email msg bar (open a new msg and then usually the bottom row has a bar with Options in it). Click the voting buttons checkbox, select the choices from the list, or make your own list. To make your own list, delete one of the lists available and list your own options, with a semi-colon betwene them. To track the responses, open each reply (that tells Outlook to count the responses). Or you can set outlook to track automatically (Tools - Options - Email options - tracking). To see the results open the original email (usually in your sent folder)

When you create an email with voting buttons, make the subject line the question. In the body of the email write something like "Click on the bar as indicated above to give your response. You do not need to reply to this email".

All this sounds a lot more complicated than it is so try it out.

I use this to test whether I am still required to hold a time / appointment, to ask whether more infomration is required and also who is attending a meeting.

(I use Microsoft Outlook 2003)

No acces to the web? Get a page sent to your email inbox

2009-01-04T23:45:00.000-08:00

I'm continually finding staff who have web access denied. While I can understand the fear they may spend half the day on Facebook and eBay, they are also missing out on infomration that is available to them and which may help them in their work.

Nice to see someone has found a way round the problem! If you know the web page you want to view (and yes, you need to know the address so you can't go browing - but it is good if someone has sent you a link you can't access) then send a command in the subject to browse@webinmail.com and the system will send you the webpage you wanted to browse in reply to your mail.

You get the page and if you then want to go deeper into the website, then if you click on the webpage buttons the process can be automatically repeated for you.

A clunky way to view web pages but sometimes it has to be done.

www.webinmail.com for more info

Collaborative projects need collaborative management systems and processes

2008-12-30T03:23:00.000-08:00

Most projects don’t fail because of a lack of charts, stats or report. They fail because of a lack of communication. Where the participants are located apart in distance and the conversation about the project are held asynchronously, then there is a high possibility of poor project outcomes unless specific project systems are put in place.

Collaborative project management (CPM) is a methodology that can be applied in these circumstances. It requires a different way of working and the use of project management (PM) tools that are familiar yet used in different ways. To overcome the distance / time issue the majority of CPM methodologies use online systems to support the project team. These range from a small use to cover some gaps through to completely managing the project using sophisticated yet simple to use online systems. To continue to run collaborative type projects without using CPM techniques will likely mean reduced productivity, less documentation of progress, overuse of emails and lost time due to a higher number of face-to-face meetings.

I've listed below a few of the online systems that may be helpful in co-ordinating collaorative projects.

http://www.veoproject.com/home.aspx full online system for projects with templates, gantt charts, roles, tasks etc.

http://www.manymoon.com/auth/login more simplified online project management that combines with Google documents

www.huddle.net good for virtual team working though note specifically project management related

http://www.workflowmax.com/features/jobtracking.html a bit different to project management though useful if you have a number of people on the same project and need to keep track of inputs and outputs

http://www.basecamphq.com/ simple to use and one of the earliest online systems

http://www.teamdirection.com/ lots of features and an MS Project add-in which is useful. Also syncs with Sharepoint. Not specifically online but can support CPM

http://www.trackeroffice.com/tracker_project.html is an Outlook import that integrates with existing software and helps personal as well as group project productivity. Can also be provided on a web basis

http://www.kalmstrom.com/products/Outlook/TimeCard/ an Outlook import that can monitor time spent on a project (productivity / reporting rather than project management)

If you want to use a wiki then there is a wiki on how to do this! http://projectmanagementdemo.pbwiki.com/ Although this can be customised to suit your purposes it feels a bit clunky when compared to the tools available

to keep up to date with “New stuff for change agents” then subscribe to Sarah Fraser’s blog at www.sfassociates.blogspot.com

Simple online feedback system to help you improve: Rypple

2008-12-19T06:13:00.000-08:00

I'm impressed. That doesn't happen often, but here is one of those online products that is incredibly simple to use and which can have an extraordinary impact. So you want to know how your project is progressing, how people feel about a change process, what the participants thought of your presentation etc?

www.rypple.com is a simple system where you ask a question and invite people to respond. Their answers are anonymous and you are also able to track your feedback by a graph and see a trend.

My one concern is if it does take off I may be beset by queries from people for feedback - on the other hand that may actually be a good thing.

Online collaborative mindmapping

2008-12-16T05:25:00.001-08:00

If you use mindmaps as a way to gather and sort information, for generating new connections and ideas or for making summaries of work, then you may find the online mindmapping sofwtare available at http://www.mindmeister.com/ just excellent.

The main advantage of this software is that mindmapping moves from being a singular individual activity to one of collaboration and community. It's a fab way to scale up your mindmapping activities.

Collaborate online for productive project management

2008-12-14T08:24:00.000-08:00

There are many online collaboration tools. One I have found that is specifically for managing projects is www.veoproject.com

The system provides all the usual collaboration tools though what I specifically like is the emphasis on project planning. Some of the features look a bit like Microsoft Project in the type of planning that is available. The gantt type pictures are particularly excellent. I think this would be good for large and complex projects involving multiple individuals and organisations.

Send text sms messages for free, in the USA

2008-12-14T08:17:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately this is available only at the moment in the USA, however, if you want to send a text message for free to a USA cell phone then go to www.foreversms.com

All you need to enter is your email address, the receipient's phone number and your message. You do need to know their communications provider but if you're not sure then the system will autodetect this for you.

Simple and free.

Convert video file format online and easily

2008-12-14T08:11:00.000-08:00

If you're like me you may find you end up with the wrong format video for your media player or maybe you just want to convert your video file to a different format so you can share it more widely.

You can do this online at www.catchvideo.net It is a simple process; just put in the URL of your video you want to convert and then choose your version from the 12 offered. Then go make a cup of tea - my broadband is a bit slow so the conversion does take a while.

How to spy on social media conversations

2008-12-14T07:54:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you just need to find out who is saying what about a topic and you prefer not to have to log on and become part of the social media systems. www.spy.appspot.com lets you type in a topic (I tested it with "NHS") and then it will search Twitter, Friendfeed, Flickr, Blog Comments, Yahoo news, Blogs and Google Reader to find out what is in the social media conversations on your topic.

I found it quite riveting to find out who is saying what. I expect many organisations could use this to assess their online profile.

Revolutionising the dictionary: Wordia.com

2008-12-14T07:43:00.000-08:00

The Open University is sponsoring a new form of online dictionary based on user-generated definitions. Gone are the antique and dusty versions of what a word means. Instead, anyone can pick a word and then upload a short video explaining your version of its meaning.

www.wordia.com is where you can participate in a dynamic form of language. Just going through the word of the day is quite riveting.

What word do you dare define?

Using smart-survey.co.uk for online surveys

2008-11-14T13:00:00.000-08:00

I used to use monkey-survey for my online surveys but I was finding the whole process just a tad too complex. It has many features, however, the interface felt clunkyand cumbersome. So I have moved to using www.smart-survey.co.uk and it is markedly easier to use - well, it's sort of dummy proof really.

Creating a survey was easy as was the whole production effort (or non-effort). It took me no more than 15 mins to design and produce a 6 question survey from scratch. Then 5 mins to get it online and to mail out the invitations to respond.

Checking on results is easy and all the steps are clear and straightforward.

I'm going to keep up my commitment to let go of the sofwtare and hardware that no longer seem to be productive and take the time to switch to ones that suit me better.

New way of searching; where search meets research

2008-11-09T00:18:00.000-08:00

I am finding the new search engine http://www.middlespot.com really helpful in turning my regular web searches into something a lot more practical and useful.

The added features increase productivity when working alone and also helps me share my findings.

The search results come up as a summary as well as screenshots (makes you concentrate on how you show info on a page if you are a web designer!). You can then save your choices to an online workpad, thus coordinating what you are collecting. If you then want to share your results with someone else you can, very easily.

Under "tools" there is a browser bar you can download and add to Internet Explorer, Firefox or Mozilla, so you can search directly.

If you're interested in productivity then this is a useful tool.

Online chart builder; create picture or embed into website

2008-11-09T00:12:00.000-08:00

One of the key activites for an improvement leader is displaying data graphically through the use of charts. While most of us are comfortable using the regular software packages like Microsoft and in some cases more sophisticated stats packages, sometimes we need something a little different.

I've been looking for ways to embed charts into my website - or blogs. Of course these can be embedded as pictures though this is less flexible. Also, how do I create a chart when I am using my netbook with web access and no software on it?

There is an online charts builder at http://charts.hohli.com. It takes a little while to wrap your head round it, but if you follow the instructiosn it is quick, easy and very flexible. I'll be using it as a way to create embeddable charts and as an alternative to PC based software.

Use Glance for a quick way to share your screen

2008-10-11T08:05:00.000-07:00

I've been testing this system for a few weeks now and it is proving invaluable. So far I have used it to share my screen as part of a training session (I was on a conference call with a group and then directed them to my screen), used it to show someone in IT what was happening when I tried to use their new system and used it in a coaching session where I could dircet someone how to log on to a new system we're using.

I like it because the other party has no software to install and is very quick to set up. I reckon it takes me 15 seconds to set up a sharing session and it seems to take about 30 seconds for the other user to then get access to my screen. What I like is the fact I can choose to share at a moment's notice and it works.

You just click on the G button on your taskbar and you are automatically given the session ID which you tell to the other person, along with your bespoke web address for the session. They go there, put in the session ID and they get to see your screen.

I have two screens and the Glance system chooses to share the main one. This was a key test for me because most other screen sharing systems get confused and I have to go through (the nightmare) of resetting my screen settings (and then remembering how to get the second screen up and running again...).

www.glance.net if you want more info and to download a trial.

Online collaboration with ease using Scribblar

2008-09-28T09:35:00.000-07:00

If you need a place where a group of you can get together in a virtual room and share conversations, text and audio, place stuff for comments, use a whiteboard together etc. then Scribblar may be for you.

There are many of these types of systems available. You can create your own room and use it for free. So if you'd like to test out the possibilities from working int his way then this could be helpful. What I like was the PRO edition which enables you to build this software into your existing website including branding it to suit your own needs. Sounds like a quick, efficient and cost-effective way to get up and running with online collaboration without spending time and money on in-house solutions.

Test it out here: http://www.scribblar.com/

Top 10 gadget sites

2008-09-19T00:44:00.001-07:00

Drawers full of gadgets tend not to make us productive improvement leaders, instead it is how we use them. For those of you who like to keep up to date with the latest technology and then find inventive ways to use it, then Fastcompany.com have summarised what they believe are the Top 10 Gadget Sites. You can access their review here: http://www.fastcompany.com/articles/2008/09/ten-gadget-sites.html?partner=fasttake

Me? I liked the Geek Sugar site http://www.geeksugar.com/ - designed for lady geeks...

Hold web meetings for free

2008-09-16T07:24:00.000-07:00

There are some good systems available for holding online meetings. However, many of these have a significant cost and if you're still in that phase of testing out whether these processes will be useful for you why pay money to test? There are some excellent freebie systems available with some of them having more features and flexibility that the pay-for versions.

I like to use http://www.dimdim.com/. Why? Apart from the fact it is free it one of the key factors for me is that the attendees do not have any software to download. You just set up the session and they log in and we're sharing and collaborating. Many organisations limit the downloading of software so this is a quick and easy way to test how the technology can work without stressing the IT department.

There are other freebie systems available so do some searches if you're looking for alternative to the pay-for options.

Tips for sharing information via the web

2008-09-12T08:49:00.000-07:00

I'm always looking for quick and efficient ways to share information. Here are three that I use and find really helpful. There is some crafty webware available to help the process and it's changing all the time.

1. Social Bookmarking. I use http://www.del.icio.us.com/. If you're still bookmarking to your browser then consider using social bookmarking. Want to know what I am bookmarking then find me on this site - my username is sfraser881. You can find others who might be bookmarking things like you - it is a whole new world of search, discovery, annotation and sharing. You will find links to various social bookmarking sites if you click on the "share this" button on the pages of many sites - have a look at my own website www.sfassociates.biz and down the bottom righthand side of the home page you will find the button to access social bookmarking.

2. Highlighting. Ever found a great paragraph in a website and wanted to point that out to someone? You end up sending an email to a friend with a long winded note explaining what it is all about. No more - use the tool from http://www.awesomehighlighter.com/. Easy to use, you go to the web page you want, use the highighter and it then prompts you to either email the link or share. Here is an example from my book reviews blog http://awurl.com/cpmju01061133.

3. Google notebook. If I'm collecting a variety of resources from the web on a specific topic and then want to share those resources often I'm stuck. I now use Google notebook (sign up on iGoogle). You find the web page, right click, add to notebook and it then saves to the notebook you want. When you're ready you can then share that notebook with anyone else. They can then see your web research as well as any comments you may have in there.

Huddle.net for virtual team and project working

2008-09-12T03:16:00.000-07:00

Virtual consultancy, virtual team and project working have all been priorities for me and my company (see our website for more details on virtual working and why... our environmental policy http://www.sfassociates.biz/)

Always on the look out for secure, safe and easy to use systems to support especially team and project working, I have found http://my.huddle.net/ to be far better than other (more-expensive) systems. It is encrypted (useful when working with government agencies), incredibly easy to use and has many features all designed to reduce your email in basket! I like the way you can choose to get updates by RSS feeds, you can add comments to documents (and then decide who needs to be notified about the comment) and the front overview for each workspace gives you an instant update about who is doing what.

Software tools like this really enable leaders, of all sorts, especially project improvement leaders, to be efficient, effective and make productive use of their time.

I wonder now how any project, virtual or not, gets on without it.

Medically orientated elearning & games

2008-09-11T01:22:00.001-07:00

Whether you're seriously looking to improve your knowledge of things medical or whether you're just interested in testing out some excellent quality elearning - then have a look at this:

http://www.theonlinelearningcenter.com/registereduserevents/clinicalchallenge_new2.aspx

Free online elearning of good quality

2008-09-10T05:05:00.000-07:00

I needed to update my skills on Microsoft Access and found www.alison.com provided an excellent elearning system. The quality of the course was good and it met my needs in that it was flexible in access, easy to use and I learnt lots of new things.

While I was about it, I went through the office safety and a number of other courses that they offer.

For staff who need some digital literacy updating then this is a really good place to start, and maybe even finish.

Social networking site takes on knowledge management

2008-09-08T00:27:00.000-07:00

There are hundreds of social networking sites around but this new one looks interesting and if it works it could reshape how we share knowledge and learn from, with and among our online friends.

www.ileonardo.com is where social networking meets a social form of knowledge management. You can upload content and create notebooks where you can collaborate with other users. You can see the information that your friends are working on. In this new era of open source knowledge and rapid dissemination, this feature has some significant advantages. It could rewrite the concept and dynamics of what is traditionally known as the opinion leader.

What I like about this site is how it moves on the concept of spreading good practice. It forces us all to think about how much we want to to share and with whom.

Why use a text dictionary? Be inspired with visuwords

2008-09-04T02:06:00.000-07:00

Still on the theme of being visual I am in awe of www.visuwords.com. Once you've got over the wibbles and wobbles of the way the words appear on the screen it is fascinating how the relationships and patterns between words are shown. It made me think about how I use the meaning of words. Once you start exploring it is difficult to stop and before you know it you've learnt something.

Search Engine for Visual Learners

2008-09-03T11:10:00.000-07:00

Google has its place, though sometimes I need a visual fix, something a little more 3D in nature and a touch more inspirational. Something that shows me the connections. When I saw
www.kartoo.com it felt like it connected with my brain - but then I know I am a visual learner. If you look at this and go "yawn" then feel free to indulge yourself with Google.

If you're in business then you'll find it fascinating to see how this meta search engine displays the connections and patterns for the keywords you provide. I am sure you will learn something new about your organisation and its online identity.